Doc .. your index system must be amazing! How on earth do you track all these threads??!! Great work.
Had an interesting time reading thru it all. Seems like that overall feeling is a PREFERENCE FOR PAPER. Yes, many do like e-tickets, but on these threads, less in number than those who prefer paper. Most of these threads I had not seen before.
I have taken the liberty of selecting some comments from among the threads that supply sensible reasons for paper over electronic. I hope those named do not object. If so my apologies.
However, electronic tickets are clearly here to stay, and as one poster said .. in 5 years there simply may not be a choice. Next time someone is contacted by WSJ or whomever, they may like to refer them to comments from among these!:
avekoo: .... Remember that the possession of a bona fide paper ticket gives you certain legal, contractual, and practical rights over the e-ticket. Besides the "use on other carriers" privilege, airlines are required to honor your bona fide paper ticket, even if there is no record of it in their computer. This legal/contractual right does NOT extend o e-tickets, even with the presentation of a TSR.
gacharmin ...NWA’s computers were shut down due to a cut in a fiber optic cable from USWest. I was stuck in Minneapolis for more than 4.5 hours because I could not get my e-ticket signed over to another carrier.
Dauphin ..... I once had an itinerary of MIA - BOG on AA and BOG -- EWR on CO, all with E-Tickets. The Columbian consulate looked at my itinerary and receipts and issued me a business visa. However, AA would not issue a boarding pass in MIA, stating that "I had no proof of a return ticket, so was ineligible to enter Columbia." The CO E-Ticket receipt was worthless since the AA agent said, "they're not on the same system as us, so I cannot verify it." I had both AMEX and CO agents plead my case on the phone, but the AA agent was unmoved. Finally, I had to sprint several concourses over to CO to have a paper ticket printed. Then I ran directly for the gate and was issued a boarding pass, without anyone checking this time for "proof of return."
Rudi .... I am not a e-ticket fan either. Often my itinerary includes segments with different StarAlliance-members the same day (typical: first segment LH, than UA).
LH's computers can't deal with UA's e-tickets when I check-in in Zurich - connecting in FRA or MUC - and often again somewhere in the US the same day. And the same problem when flying back: UA's computers can't deal with LH's e-tickets.
FastFlyer ... Another E-Ticket nightmare: a couple of years ago at O'Hare, the United computer system was down for several hours. At some gates, only passengers with paper tickets were allowed to board their flights. E-Ticket people were left behind. This was at a time when probably less than 10% of the tickets were E-Tickets, but the problem was very real to the passengers carrying only printed copies of their itinerary. This is I hope a rare event, but it illustrates some of the weaknesses of the E-Ticket system.
Waymaker ....A paper ticket has more than a few times been what has put me on another carrier, getting home about the same time, or sometimes earlier, earning miles on two airlines (If the original flight was canceled, delayed or overbooked). If I was bumped, or volunteered to give up my seat, I have a few hundred bucks in vouchers. Such vouchers are “funny money” only good on the issuing airline, but they are always on paper. I have yet to lose one.
Karen2 .... Never, never an e-ticket internationally, especially to a 3rd World country. We had a disaster in Egypt with an e-ticket that TWA insisted on selling us in SFO. Flew in from Jordan to Cairo and we were not allowed in the transit lounge! No ticket. The customs and immigration guys never heard of an e-ticket, regarded it as a receipt. Had to exit the airport secure area, buy a visa for $30 and return. Was lucky even to get in since Egypt requires an on-going or return ticket for entry to the country!
[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 08-15-2000).]